From 1 January 2018 to 25 April 2018, Traffic Police (TP) recorded 36 fatal accidents, resulting in 38 deaths. This is an increase of three (9%) fatal accidents and four (12%) road traffic fatalities, compared to the same period last year. The increase in fatalities on the road is attributed to motorcyclists and passengers of motorcars.
Recent Fatal Traffic Accidents
On 19 April 2018 at 7.27pm, a fatal accident involving a car and a taxi occurred at the signalised cross junction of Commonwealth Avenue West and Clementi Road. The drivers and all four passengers in the taxi were conveyed to National University Hospital, where the rear passenger, a 19-year-old female, later succumbed to her injuries. The 54-year-old taxi driver has been arrested for causing death by rash act under Section 304A(a) of the Penal Code.
On 22 April 2018 at 12.57am, a fatal accident involving a car and a bus occurred at the signalised cross junction of Jalan Anak Bukit and Jalan Jurong Kechil. The rear passenger of the car, a 23-year-old female, was conveyed unconscious to National University Hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. The 24-year-old driver of the car has been arrested for causing death by rash act under Section 304A(a) of the Penal Code.
On 23 April 2018 at 9.36am, a fatal accident involving a lorry, a bus and three pedestrians occurred along Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 towards Marymount Road. The three pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene by SCDF paramedics. The 25-year-old lorry driver, who was also injured in the accident, was conveyed to hospital. The lorry driver has been arrested for causing death by dangerous driving under Section 66(1) of the Road Traffic Act.
Investigations into the above three cases are still ongoing.
Top Causes of Fatal Accidents
From 1 January 2018 to 25 April 2018, the top 3 causes of fatal accidents were:
- failing to keep a proper lookout;
- failing to have proper control of the vehicle; and
- pedestrians jaywalking or crossing roads without paying attention to traffic.
Accidents at traffic junctions remains a grave concern. It is important for motorists to exercise extra caution and to always slow down when approaching traffic junctions. When making a right turn at a traffic junction, motorists must always give way to oncoming vehicles. They should not attempt to make the right turn if their views are obstructed. At signalised right-turn traffic junctions, motorists must wait until it is safe to cross or for the green arrow signal before making the right turn. At all times, motorists must always keep a proper lookout for pedestrians as well as give way to pedestrians at traffic junctions.
Speeding, especially on wet road conditions, increases the likelihood of an accident. Speeding kills. TP would like to urge all motorists to keep to the road and vehicular speed limits at all times. Motorists are advised to practise safe driving habits and not to speed. For everyone’s safety, drivers and passengers, including children, must always be belted up or be appropriately restrained in a child safety seat when travelling in a vehicle.
Pedestrians will always be a vulnerable group of road users. While motorists must always keep a lookout for pedestrians, pedestrians can also play their part in keeping our roads safe by staying alert and by looking out for vehicles even if they have the right of way. Pedestrians should not jaywalk but use designated pedestrian crossings and overhead bridges.
Safeguarding Our Roads
One life lost on the road is one too many. To encourage and promote safe road-use behaviours, TP has been actively engaging different road user groups through road safety talks, including vocational drivers, motorcyclists, public and private bus drivers and cyclists. Apart from regular enforcement operations against errant road users for drink driving, speeding, red light running, jaywalking and other traffic offences, a month-long traffic enforcement operation was conducted recently against errant heavy vehicle drivers. A total of 1,500 violations was detected and the drivers were taken to task. TP will continue to conduct enforcement operations against errant road users.
The roads are only as safe as we make them. While the roads in Singapore are generally safe and record one of the lowest road traffic fatality rates in the world, we must not be complacent but continue to stay vigilant when on the roads. TP would also like to appeal to all road users to play their part by adopting good RoadSense and to look out for one another when sharing the roads. Together, we can prevent unnecessary loss of lives on the roads.
Road safety is a shared responsibility. As we use the roads every day, we should do our part to improve road safety by exercising patience and extra caution, and by staying vigilant and alert. Motorists must always give way to vehicles with the right of way as well as pedestrians at all times.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
26 April 2018 @ 3:50 PM